Portuguese case study on Insurance & forest fire resilience

The catastrophic forest fires of 2003 in Chamusca destroyed nearly 22,000 hectares of forest and shrub land (30% of the municipality’s total area). Four people lost their lives in the aftermath of the fires; two of them were experienced firemen. Livestock was killed and houses burnt down.

The scale of the 2003 fires in Portugal set off a wide range of measures and policies. This case study will provide a hindsight analysis of the events of 2003, revisiting major drivers leading to catastrophic fires in Chamusca, and an assessment of the measures and policies implemented.